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What FPS means in Volume Shader
The counter is frames of this scene
FPS here is not a game's internal limiter and not your display's refresh rate by itself. It is how many times per second the GPU finished the Volume Shader frame. If the display is 60 Hz, you will not see more than about 60 even on a fast GPU. The browser and vsync still apply.
Keep the HUD visible on Run Volume Shader if you want the number in a clip, and say the complexity level. For the rendering idea, read What is Volume Shader.
Complexity changes the work
Simple uses fewer Mandelbulb iterations and ray steps. Extreme uses more. Comparing Extreme on one phone to Simple on another is meaningless. Standard is the default comparison point.
Ray marching is a loop per pixel. Each extra iteration is extra ALU work. That is why Extreme can look like a slideshow on a mid range phone and still look fine on a discrete GPU.
Bands you can actually use
Treat these as working bands for Volume Shader Standard on a cooled device, not as a warranty. Fair compares live in GPU benchmark and how to interpret results.
- 60 and up: the load is comfortable at this complexity
- 30 to 60: usable, expect some hitch on busy UIs
- 15 to 30: the GPU is working hard. Drop a level to compare.
- Under 15: this complexity is too heavy for a fair visual check
Heat, battery saver, and hitch
A number that jumps 40, then 20, then 45 is less useful than a steady 32. Heat and power limits cause that jump. Turn off battery saver. Let the phone cool. Close extra tabs. Prep is in how to test a GPU.
The 3D test HUD also shows frame time. Use that when hitch matters more than the peak.
This is Volume Shader FPS, not a game limiter
A game may cap itself at 30 or 60. Volume Shader tries to finish as many frames as the GPU and the browser allow, then vsync still clips what you see. Do not treat a 60 on a 60 Hz panel as proof the chip has no headroom. Raise complexity, or use Extreme only as a stress load.